You and Me
by vanyelashke89
Summary: [You hated me, but I forgive you. I hated you, but you were never anything but kind to me.] Neji and Hinata
1. To Hyuuga Neji

**Disclaimer: I'm not smart enough to own Naruto

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**You and Me  
Chap 1: To Hyuuga Neji**

It's all because of me that you are here.

The moment I was born, you were destined to be enslaved to me.

It is my fault that you grew in bitterness, my fault that you never learn to fly...

I remember clearly the first time I saw you. You smiled at me.

Hyuuga Neji, tensai of the Hyuuga clan. It didn't matter that you were from the Branch house. At least, it didn't matter to me. You were one year older then me and had already known so many techniques of the Hyuuga clan. You didn't have to bother spending time with me.

And yet you did.

You took me under your wing, taught me the little that you've known. Sparred with me to improve my techniques. We played together for the few days that you came over to stay.

It was the happiest of my memories.

* * *

Barely a few days later, you changed. 

I didn't know what happened. I thought that it was something I did to make you angry at me.

I smiled and approached you.You just walked away. I tired to ask you what did I do wrong, but you just ignored me. The worst was the hatred stare you gave me. It broke my heart.

How was I to know all about the curse seal and brach and main house? I was only three!

But you were only four... Four! Too young to have borne this burden, too young to have suffered the loss you suffered. You shouldn't have to bear the curse seal. It was for me that you became a caged bird.

* * *

As I grew older, I understood why you hated me. 

I am heir of the Hyuuga clan, and yet, I don't fight as well as you, I can't use the Byakugan as well as you. I'm not as smart as you. I'm nothing compared to you.

I wish I didn't have to be shinobi. I wish I didn't have to be the heir and that you belonged to the Main House instead of me, and that you could be heir instead of me!

But it is not possible. This is my destiny. No amount of wishing and hoping could turn what fate had decreed. I could only accept my inheritance just as I accepted the hatred you threw on me.

From then on, you never said a kind word to me. You never looked at me with anything other then hatred or coldness. It was as if I was never born. Like I was non-existent.

But I understand, I think. It is your hatred to the Main House, for my Dad, for fate. You directed all your anger to me. But i tell myself it is okay, I think that I don't mind much. Because I think I can understand why you hate me so much. I wonder who I was comforting.

* * *

We grew up together in the same academy, but it was as if you never had a cousin like me. 

I will watch you practice in the courtyard and you would walk away when you see me.

I learnt to watch you discreetly, for I never hated you at all. In my mind, you were still the big brother I first knew.

But you never ever acknowledge me.

To you, I was vermin. The worst shinobi ever to graduate from the academy.

And deep down inside, I knew you were right. I was really the most terrible shinobi. I'm not as smart as Sakura in studying history and facts, I'm not as skilled as Lee in Taijutsu, I'm not as good as Sasuke in Ninjustu, and I can't do Genjutsu. I'm not smart, I don't fight well, I'm really not a good shinobi.

And then I met Naruto-kun. I tried to direct my adoration for you at him. He was different from you in everway. Loud-mouth, prankster, he's not very good in his studies and shinobi skills. He was like a partner for me.

But he's not you. I didn't like him as I had liked you.

As I still like you.

* * *

When I graduated from the academy, we had a celebration at the Main House for me. I waited for you to congratulate me, to acknowledge me. 

I waited all night.

I never saw you.

It hurt, but I forgive you, like I had forgiven you and like I will continue to forgive you. The hatred you bore was too deep to be changed overnight. I understood, or I tried to. I think perhaps I was only trying to give myself a little comfort. I imagined just a little in your heart that you acknowledged me.

* * *

Before the chuuin exam, you spoke to me. 

My heart leapt. It was the first time you spoke to me outside from the necessary courtesy. What were you going to say? Were you going to help me with my Taijutsu? Were you going to encourage me on the chuuin exam?

I was too naïve.

You told me to stop wasting my time and forget about the chuuin exam. You told me politely that I was a worthless-good-for-nothing who would never make it through and would only be dragging my teammates down. You told me that if I ever meet you in a match situation, you will not hesitate to kill me.

I understood.

But it was my destiny to take the exam. I will not run away from it.

We did meet each other in battle. Kiba told me to forfeit. I know Kurenai-sensei was expecting me to forfeit too. Even you, you knew that I wanted to forfeit.

But Naruto gave me hope. He gave me courage. He made me realize that we are masters of our own destiny. That our future and who we are is not so much defined by fate, but by our own actions, our own choices.

Besides, I saw the hunger in your eyes. The hunger for blood of the Main House. If killing me would dissolve the hatred that you have left festered in your soul, I would gladly be the sacrifice.

I fought with everything I had, because I knew that it could very well be my last fight. Maybe I wanted to prove that I was not the worthless baggage you always called me. Maybe, for once, I would like to see pride in your eyes. Just once, I would like you to look at me with something other then hatred or disgust.

Until the end, it still wasn't enough. I only saw anger and more anger. Hatred and more hatred, fuelling the desire in you. At that moment, I realized that you held true to your word and will kill me.

I was still no match for you.

* * *

I waited at the hospital for you to come and visit me. I hoped and hoped that one day I would wake up to see your face beside my bed.

It was mere wishful thinking on my part.

When I knew of the results of your match with Naruto, I was happy for him. Naruto worked so hard to defeat you. At the same time, my heart cried a little for you. You never had much freedom in your life, you were denied so much. And to be defeated by Uzimaki Naruto, it must have been hard for you. 

I left the tiny bottle of medication cream by your hospital bed.

I hoped that you had used it.

* * *

I heard you had to go on a mission to retrieve Sasuke. There will be no jounins on the team, it will consist solely of genins and one chuuin. 

The tears I shed that night were for you.

You didn't see me hiding behind the trees when the others came to see you off. I was already an expert at hiding from you and using jutsu to conceal my presence from the Byakugan.

I watched until I could see your retreating back no more.

When word came that you were badly hurt, I almost cried then and there. I rushed to the hospital to see you covered in bandages. My heart wept then.

I came to visit you the day after that and the following, until you woke up to find me there.

You shouted at me to get out.

And I did.

That was when I knew you would never return to me. You would never again treat me like your little sister. You will always hate me, and no matter how hard I try, I will never get your love.

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Comments/criticism are welcome :) 


	2. To Hyuuga Hinata

To the fantastic people who have reviewed...

**InuBecka: **thx for the reviews:)  
**Crimson Tida: **gd for u to point it out. actually I wrote it a little like this because she looks up to Neji who's always talking abt fate. hm.. maybe i overdid it abit :)  
**happykid: **thx for your support! i will continue all the way to the end!  
**amazed by angel: **don't cry! i'm glad that you like it. it'll all work out in the end. :)

**Disclaimer: I'm not smart enough to own Naruto**

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**You and Me  
Chap 2: To Hyuuga Hinata**

It's all because of you that I am like this.

Your existence ensured that mine was neglected.

You don't deserve all that you have.

It should rightfully have been mine.

I hate you.

I am Hyuuga Neji. The prodigy of the Hyuuga clan, the tensai Genin of my year. I was born a falcon meant to fly, but because of the curse, I will forever remain a falcon tethered to the cage.

You deceived me.

The very first time I set my eyes on you, you deceived me with your innocence, your compassion, the shyness in your eyes as I looked at you face to face.

Heaven forbid, but I thought you were adorable.

That would be the only time when we ever played together, sparring with each other and sharing secrets and thoughts.

I didn't know you could be so devious. To entice your prey, lure him in, before shutting the cage down. That day I realized what that curse seal meant, I knew that I would never fly free. That fate had decreed that I will always be tethered to you.

* * *

But how would you know anyway? You're a member of the main house, the heir to the Clan. What will you know of the misery that I suffered? 

None. You knew none at all.

Whenever I look into your eyes, eyes the exact replica of mine, I see that damn innocence that you're trying to deceive with me.

You don't seem to understand that I hate you, do you?

But then again, it doesn't matter. I had more than enough to do then bother with the likes of you. From the day your "clan" took my father away, I had silently declared war on the Main House.

From that day, whatever compassion and feeling I ever had of you evaporated.

* * *

Why am I the one that is cursed? Why is it that I, I who is the eldest child in the Clan, a male, should be chosen over a younger, less capable female? 

It must be fate.

Cruel fate.

Fate that led to my Father's death. Fate that decreed that I would never be more powerful then anyone from the Main House evenwhenIam much morecapable. Fate that decreed that someone, a weakling will one day take over as head of the Clan.

Yes, cruel fate.

Especially when fate had chosen to grant me tensai abilities.

What's the use of being a prodigy when you'll forever remain a servant? What's the use of having such powerful wings when you can never soar in the sky?

But fate had made me a tensai, and I accept it. Just as I accepted it that fate had made you so much weaker then me.

Yes, you.

You who took away everything that should have rightfully belonged to me. 

You who pretended to be the innocent party of the struggle between the Main and the Branch House.

You who always tried so hard but never meet the standard.

You who are so much weaker then me.

You who never had the courage to look at me in the eye. A guilty conscience?

You who hang out with the likes of losers

You who would rather run away then stand ground and fight.

* * *

In front of the elders I was civil to you. Civil, but barely. When there was no need to be civil, I didn't pretend to be. 

You never retaliated when I shot you looks of scorn. You merely accepted them with troubled looks. Gods know I tried to get a reaction out from you. I wanted to make you angry, I wanted you to hurl back the insults that I battered you with.

You didn't do either. You just stood there meekly, eyes welling up with tears. You made me feel like a scoundrel.

It's another of your little tricks isn't it? Making me the guilty party now.

Forget it. I will never fall prey to the tricks from the Main House. Not ever again.

Since I couldn't make you angry, I could ignore you. So I spent the better part of the times I saw you ignoring you. Yet you remain staring at me with your doleful eyes.

I couldn't take it. You didn't have a single backbone in your body! No matter what I do, I couldn't get you to hate me. Not with the intensity that I hated you.

The more you smiled at me and treated me with respect, the more I hated you.

You were the cause of all my troubles. You arethe Main House, theMain House that I hated!

* * *

Then I heard you were going to take part in the Chuuin exam.

I laughed then.

A short, cold laugh of disbelief.

YOU? Take the Chuuin exam.

And then I realized. It's all for your teammates isn't it? You never had a backbone. You could never have decided for yourself. You were dragged along.

But I realize also that you would never make it through. I knew you too well. You're a weakling that will run away at the first sign of trouble. The Chuuin exam is too dangerous for a coward like you.

And I knew then that I had to warn you.

Do not be mistaken. It is not out of any compassion for you. It is merely out of duty as a Branch House member will have on a Main House member. It is my duty to warn you of the dangers.

When I walked away from the brief "meeting" I had with you, I knew I was right. I saw despair in your eyes. I saw fear. I knew then that you would not participate.

You lied to me again.

You came for the Chuuin exam.

* * *

I warned you didn't I. 

There was a slim chance that I would face you in battle.

I told you I would not hesitate to kill you.

I wanted to shock you, to scare you to give up. You're no good being a shinobi. You should have been a nurse or something. Konoha needs shinobi who are powerful, confident, who will kill without hesitation. You are neither of them all.

I could tell you wanted to give up. It is meaningless pitting yourself against me. Fate had decreed that you will forever be the weakest of the Clan. Just had fate had bound me by this curse. You can't pit yourself against fate. You'll only be hurting yourself in the end.

_Give up_

_Just give up_

_You can't fight me._

_So give up._

* * *

Your biggest mistake is to listen to Naruto. If you had given up, I would have released you at once. I would not have attacked you anymore. 

Yet you had to listen to that moron! Who is he to you anyway? What is he consorting with the likes of the Hyuuga Clan? Have you demeaned yourself so much that you would approach the company of people like Naruto?

Don't think I do not know what you and him are up to.

You like him, love him. He may be a moron but he knows you're from the Hyuuga Clan, he knows how much power and prestige there is to gain if he goes with you.

Damn him.

I've been watching you and him long enough. How you would always blush whenever he speaks to you. How he would always give you the ultra big spastic smile and then you would blush more. How you always seem so happy around him. How you sneaked around to look at him practice his jutsus. How you offered him medication after the fight with Kiba.

Hell, Kiba's your own teammate and you looked after Naruto before you went to find Kiba!

It irked me, angered me that Naruto could get a reaction out of you when I couldn't.

You should not be happy around him.

Why should you have happiness when I live inhatred and pain?

Perhaps that was why I had the urge to beat the senses out of you. Perhaps that was why I used my most powerful jutsu on you. Perhaps that was why I took my death threat seriously and really intended to kill you.

In the end, I really don't know.

I don't know why my heart ached with each blow I rained on you. I don't know why my heart screamed at me to stop when you fell and spitted blood. I don't know why you always seem to bring out the worst in me.

You just do.

* * *

And then,

it seemed

my life changed.

again.

Because of the moron called Uzumaki Naruto.

He's unlike any other genins I've ever known. He doesn't give a damn about fate. He doesn't understand that you can't defy fate. He sticks adamantly by his dreams and desires, not allowing anything to come against him. No matter how I tried to tell him that he would always be a worthless baka, he refuses to believe it.

He annoys me, he shocked me.

He defeated me.

And then I realize... he had defied fate. He had defied fate and defeated me, the tensai. The tensai defeated by a baka! Even when the odds were against him totally.

He defied fate.

Maybe, just maybe I can defy fate too...

Perhaps someday, the falcon in me will fly. Fly into the endless azure sky and dance with the clouds, tease the wind and play with the stars... perhaps.

When I was just sitting there, daydreaming, Hiashi-sama came.

And then I understood.

I suddenly understood why my father had been sacrificed.

It was not because of the curse.

It was his choice.

* * *

I had wasted my years hating you.

I had destroyed so many of your hopes, your dreams even before they had begun to materialize.

I had scorned you, ignored you.

I had burned with white anger hating you.

I didn't know hating someone could hurt too.

And suddenly, I realize hate and love were as opposite as poles and yet as similar as if they were the same thing.

I felt more then hate for you?

I loved you? Love you?

Ay... I realize I do, I love you with the intensity I hate you.

That realization scared the hell out of me.

* * *

I was glad to be assigned to the mission. It took my mind off thinking of my feelings for you. 

Too raw, too out of control.

At least in battle, I was in control. I decide my own future.

I never expect to be defeated. But the enemy was skilled.

There was one moment where I thought I would die.

All that I could think of.

All that filled my mind.

Was pictures of you...

* * *

I knew you would come to visit me at the hospital. 

Your compassionate nature demanded that of you.

What I did not expect was that you would visit Naruto too. Visit him everyday, cry at his bedside while you waited for him to wake.

I overheard the nurses saying that.

At that moment, I realized that you felt nothing but duty for me. My words, my deeds had cut you too deeply. I would never garner anything more then a normal response for you. For I had failed you as a cousin, an elder cousin who should have been there to guide you through.

I don't understand why you still visited me.

Why you sit through the time when I pretended to be asleep.

It hurt too much to have you there, loving you but knowing that my love will always be vain.

The only thing I could do is to throw you out, throw you out so that I would not be reminded of how much you would have cared for me had I not been such a beast in the past.

When you left, tears streaking past, my own eyes filled up too.

_Give up Hyuuga Neji, give up and let her find happiness. _

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Author's note: What Neji did not realize is that Hinata cried for him too! Except he wasn't awake yet to know that. 

Hope you enjoyed it! Reviews are welcomed :) There would be just one more chapter and I will end this fic :) Unfortunately since school and work is coming up, who knows when I'll be back to update. Till then!


	3. Together

**FireDragonBL:** heh... sorry to disappoint but it is going to be incest!  
**not telling:** thank you!well the next chap's right here!  
**Shiro:** very sorry for posting this so late! and i'm really glad u like it )  
**ruka-kun:** thank you so much! and u write really well too!  
**tetsu-kuh:** thank you for ur compliment and will work hard!

**Disclaimer:** don't own any naruto characters...  
**AN: **Really sorry this was so long in coming out. Was working on the other story and there was so much work in school! Hope you like this :)

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**You and Me  
Chap 3: Together**

"Why didn't you go to see Naruto off?" Neji's quiet appearance startled Hinata who had been training in the woods.

"Neji-kun." Hinata jumped in surprise. The haphazardly thrown shuriken veered off course and instead of thudding into the neat rows of shuriken on the practice log, it landed on the ground with an unforgiving loud thud.

Hinata stared at the shuriken on the ground. _I can't even get this right... _Her hands clenched at her sides. _I can't be so useless... Naruto-kun is going to train to become a stronger shinobi. I will become stronger too, I will train hard, I won't let him down. _

Her eyes grew moist as a picture of a grinning Naruto flashed in her mind. Trying to delay answering Neji as much as possible, Hinata slowly picked up the shuriken and then turned around to address Neji.

Neji was leaning against a tree, arms folded, one foot on the ground while the other was propped on the tree trunk. His eyes held none of its usual contempt, but neither were they warm and friendly. "Why weren't you there today? Sakura, Kiba, Shino, Ino, Lee, all of them were there. I was surprised you weren't... Care to explain?"

"Neji-kun... I..." Hinata stuttered, she didn't know what to say.

Hinata had gone to see Naruto yesterday. She had wanted to plead with him to stay, to train with her in Konoha but the words had gotten lodged in her throat.

* * *

"_I'm going off with Jiraiya to train! Can you believe it! He's a real pervert but I guess it is okay since he knows so many powerful jutsus! I'm going to train really hard to become much stronger!" Naruto grinned happily. _

_Hinata played with her fingers as she stared at the floor, unable to say the words she wanted to say. _

"_Ano sa… Hinata, you must train hard to become stronger too." Naruto said seriously, hands cupped behind his head. "I really would like to spar with you one day." _

_Hinata's eyes widened and she looked up at Naruto's clear blue eyes in surprise. She was thoughtful for a moment. Then, realization dawned and she gave Naruto a small smile. "I promise I will, Naruto-kun. Thank you for believing in me." _

"_Eh, heh heh… I'm just saying the truth!"_

_

* * *

_

"...I... we... we didn't need to say goodbye. Soon, we will meet again and... and... he'll always be with me in my heart." Hinata fiddled with her fingers, wondering why Neji was suddenly interested in what she did in her life.

"You really do like him do you?" Neji abandoned his languid posture and advanced dangerously upon Hinata.

Unnerved by the fierce look in his eyes, Hinata took a step back, and then another, and another.. Until she was backed up against the practice log and Neji was standing inches away from her. Standing so close, Hinata had to tilt her head up to look at him.

Neji's eyes were intent, but they had lost its fierceness. Hinata, not used to the close proximity of males, blushed and tried not to concentrate on how handsome Neji was up close.

"I... we... it's not like that... we're... we're just very good friends."

"Really? Friends with that good-for-nothing?" Neji's tone dripped with sarcarsm and he almost gave a snort in disbelief. He hadn't planned to corner her like this. He had come with the intention of checking out on her. Knowing her close relationship with Naruto, he had expected her to be crying her eyes out. But the moment she had started talking about Naruto, the simmering anger inside him had flared.

But then Hinata had retreated away from him like a scared rabbit. Her eyes held just the slight traces of fear as he backed her into the log. Disgusted with himself, his anger faded away rapidly, leaving him feeling like a jerk for scaring her again.

She stood less then an arm's length away from him now.Neji took advantage of the closeness between them to study and savour the moment. _She's beautiful... like snowflakes, pure and gentle. _Although tightly wrapped in a jacket, Neji knew that his cousin was petite and had delicate bones. _She's so small and so vulnerable... so unsuited for the dangerous life of a shinobi. _

A surge of protectiveness took him by surprise. Neji wanted nothing more than wrap his arms around her, to hold her close and keep her away from all the dangers and prejudices in this ugly ugly world. He wanted to protect her, to keep her safe, to give her happiness.

"He's not a good-for-nothing! And you shouldn't say that of him." Hinata said firmly, with a hint of challenge, as if daring him to refute that. Her eyes, so similar to his, were set and determined.

Neji's heart took a tumble. _She'll defend him so readily... _His little cousin was so full of compassion, and all he had ever done to her was to hurt her, hurt her again and again. _For all that I've done to her,she'll never give a damn about me. _His eyes shut closed.

"Hinata... Do you hate me?" His voice shook with uncertainty, self-loathing and pain.

Time stilled. The forest was suddenly quiet, as if the birds were holding their breath. A light breeze ruffled their hair.

Hinata was a little astonished at the question. For all that Neji did, she couldn't bring herself to hate him, not in the past and not in the future. "No, Neji-kun, I never hated you." She reached out to hold Neji's hands in her own in front of them. They were cold. She absently rubbed them to get some warmth into them.

"I can't hate you... All that you did.. I forgive you... You'll always be the big brother I know when we first met." Hinata gazed seriously at Neji, her eyes sincere and truthful.

Neji opened his eyes and looked at Hinata in wonderment and awe. _Hinata... _his voicecaught in his throat. He couldn't believe it! After all that he had done to her, she didn't hate him. She forgave him... _You're an angel... an angel sent to save me from the gates of hell..._

Impulsively, he wrapped his arms around her and drew her close. Her mouth widened with surprise. He gave in to the temptation and presses his lips onto her mouth. _Sweet... sweet and soft..._

Hinta gasped in surprised. She had never been kissed before and she certainly had not expected this from Neji! The rationale part of her told her to push him away, that this was oh so wrong! She braced herself for the onslaught... but instead, there was only a gentle pressure on her lips, light teasing and tenderness. How could something that felt so good be wrong?

It was Neji who broke the kiss. They both stared at each other, Hinata still cradled in Neji's arms.

"We shouldn't have done that." Hinata whispered softly.

"I know..." Neji replied, his voice husky with desire.

He gathered Hinata into his arms, her head resting on his chest. "I won't hurt you anymore. From today onwards, you will always have my protection."

Above them, two eagles soared beside each other.

_Wing to thy wings. _

* * *

That's probably the end... please tell me what you think about the ending, because I've actually left alot more room for development. But I didn't want to go too much into it. ehz. just tell me what you think! thank you :) 

And who knows.. maybe I'll come back with a sequel for it?


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